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Old 02-16-2014, 09:26 AM   #9 (permalink)
PhilMarkey
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Location: Cornwall UK
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Name: Phil Markey
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Default Re: Musa itinerans var. kavalanensis seeds now available at Trebrown.com

Hi Frank,
Yes! Collected seeds only once, in 2009. Never sold them, nor distributed them in any way. Well, Christian Port from Liverpool had half the seeds, as he wanted to go there, I took him with me and we shared the seeds. Pretty sure Christian didn't distribute any seeds either. The viability of the seeds was 100% I only grew a few on to test them out here in the nursery. I still have the plants growing. The reason I haven't yet offered them for sale is that I don't consider this a good species. I'm convinced it was introduced to Lanyu island (had to have been), and it could only have been taken there from the mainland of Taiwan. And Musa insularimontana is part of the itinerans tribe, quite possibly just Musa itinerans var. formosana but with larger seeds.



As I just mentioned - the main difference is in the size of the seeds, see the picture – the large seeds are M. insularimontana and the small seeds are M. itinerans var. formosana. I still have the seeds (old now) and I'll send you some. Shouldn't think they'll germinate, but at least you can compare the size for yourself.

I will be back on Lanyu this summer (just trying to secure the funding), where I'm there (and in the Batanes of the Philippines) mainly regarding the Pinanga palms, but I intend collecting fresh banana seeds at the same time. I think I'll offer them for sale under the name of Musa insularimontana for now, but I can't see that name surviving somehow.

Best wishes,
Phil
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